Illinois House speaker assembles lawmakers to recommend help for migrant crisis
About 38,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago. They come on buses largely at the behest of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who said he is lifting the burden from small border towns in his state.
Freezing temperatures complicate Chicago’s struggles to house asylum-seekers
For more than a year, Chicago has wrestled with how to house new arrivals until shelter space is free, with measures city leaders insist are a stopgap.
Medicaid unwinding is causing people with disabilities to lose coverage with devastating consequence
Since the pandemic-era freeze on Medicaid disenrollment ended this spring, millions across the country –– including eligible recipients –– have lost their coverage for administrative reasons. Paperwork errors, system glitches, long wait times and outdated notices are kicking people off the rolls and vexing those caught up in the process. For people with disabilities, the […]
Illinois enacts statewide ban on vaping and e-cigarette use in public
As of January 1, 2024, Illinoisans are no longer able to vape or use e-cigarettes in public places, workplaces, and near any entrances, windows, or ventilation areas. This is part of the updated Smoke-Free Illinois Act (SFIA), aimed at protecting the public from the effects of secondhand smoke and vapor. Under this act, an electronic […]
217 Today: Service helps on MLK Day, but some say it’s not enough
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 Today’s headlines: The Illinois State Police is one step closer to finalizing the enforcement rules for a controversial law that bans semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines. Illinois State Senator Steve Stadelman says it’s important for state laws to keep pace with the advancement of technology. A state task force is in the […]